Captain, 2 jawans killed in Kupwara

2 terrorists who attacked Army camp killed

An officer and two soldiers were killed in a predawn suicide attack by militants at an artillery base of the Army in Panzgam area of Kupwara district on Thursday. Two militants were also killed in the retaliatory firing.

Soon after the attack, protests by locals were held in nearby villages. The Army opened fire when the protesters turned violent, killing one person.

Defence spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia said that militants tried to storm the artillery headquarters of the 155 Field Regiment at Panzgam but jawans foiled their attempt and, in the ensuing firefight, Captain Ayush Yadav, a subedar and a naik were killed.

An officer and two soldiers were killed in a pre-dawn suicide attack by militants at an artillery base of the Army in Panzgam area of Kup-wara district on Thursday. Two militants were also killed in the retaliatory firing.

“Two terrorists were also killed. The operation is still underway,” defence spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia said.

The 26-year-old, Captain Yadav, the only son of a UP police inspector, was a native of Kanpur. He had spoken to his father over the phone on Wednesday night asking him, his mother and sister to visit Kashmir.

The other slain soldiers are Subedar Bhoop Singh Gujjar, 46, of Kherla Bujore village of Dausa district in Rajasthan and Naik Bhoota Venkata Ramana, 38, of Ariva nipallam village in Vizag district of Andra Pradesh, the Army said.

One of the injured jawans, Naik Rishi Kumar, told reporters that when he saw militants approaching him he took position and shot them dead.

Soon after learning about the death of two militants, groups of people came out on the streets to chant pro-freedom slogans, witnesses said. Troops opened fire on the mob which, officials said, had tried to disturb the movement of soldiers.

One person identified as Muhammad Yusuf Bhatt, 55, a resident of Panzgam, was killed and ten others were wounded.